Structural Effects of Thermomechanical Processing on the Static and Dynamic Responses of Powder Metallurgy Fe-Mn-Si Based Shape Memory Alloys

Abstract:

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Fe-14Mn-6Si-9Cr-5Ni (wt. %) shape memory alloys (SMAs) were produced by powder metallurgy (PM) combined with Mechanical Alloying (MA). The specimens were pressed and sintered under Ar atmosphere from as blended powders as well as from mixtures of as blended and 10, 20, 30 and 40 vol. % MA’ed powders, respectively. The five groups of sintered specimens were hot-rolled, spark-erosion cut and solution treated at five temperatures (923, 1023, …, 1373K/ 300 s/ water). Tensile loading-unloading tests were performed in order to obtain stress-induced martensite at different pre-straining degrees. The static responses of the twenty five types of specimens were evaluated by means of the surface areas under unloading curve (E2) and between loading and unloading curves (E1) which were used for determining static internal friction, Q-1. The dynamic responses of the undeformed specimens were determined by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) performed at room temperature with a three-point-bending specimen holder in strain sweep mode. The structure of the twenty five specimens was analyzed X-ray diffraction. The effects of MA fraction were correlated with static and dynamic responses via structural changes.

Abstract: Small amounts of minor alloying elements such as RE and Sr were added to Mg-
8wt%Al-5wt%Zn (AZ91D+4%Zn), and their effects on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance were investigated. The microstucture of the investigated alloys could be characterized by dendritic Mg, Mg17Al12, a quasi-crystalline Zn-rich phase, and Al4RE (if RE is
added). Although the tensile strength of alloys was not improved, the creep strength was significantly enhanced by the additions of minor alloying elements. No apparent influence of the additions could be found on the corrosion resistance.

Abstract: The effects of alloy chemistry and heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Nb-Zr-Mo-Sn near  type titanium alloys have been investigated. Near β titanium alloys consisting of non-toxic alloying elements Mo, Nb, Zr, Sn possess a low Young’s modulus, and moderate strength and plasticity. As the hot rolled TLM alloy (Ti-25Nb-3Zr-3Mo-2Sn) possesses high strength and low Young’s modulus a detailed investigation is performed for this alloy. Solution treatment of the hot rolled TLM alloy reduces strength and increases ductility without affecting the Young’s modulus. Ageing of the solution treated TLM alloy reduces elongation and increases the Young’s modulus with little change in strength. Both solution treated and aged conditions show features of two stage yielding associated with a strain induced martensitic transformation.

Abstract: As a new solid-state welding process, friction stir welding (FSW) has been successfully used for joining low melting point materials such as aluminum and magnesium alloys, but the FSW of high melting point materials such as steels and titanium alloys is still difficult to carry out because of their strict requirements for the FSW tool. Especially for the FSW of titanium alloys, some key technological issues need to solve further. In order to accomplish the FSW of titanium alloys, a specially designed tool system was made. The system was composed of W-Re pin tool, liquid cooling holder and shielding gas shroud. Prior to FSW, the Ti-6Al-4V alloy plates were thermo-hydrogen processed to reduce the deformation resistance and tool wear during the FSW. Based on this, the thermo-hydrogen processed Ti-6Al-4V alloy with different hydrogen content was friction stir welded, and the microstructural characterizations and mechanical properties of the joints were studied. Experimental results showed that the designed tool system can fulfill the requirements of the FSW of titanium alloys, and excellent weld formation and high-strength joint have been obtained from the titanium alloy plates.

Abstract: Effect of nitrogen (N) addition on mechanical properties of Ti-Cr-Sn alloy was investigated in this study. Ti-7mol%Cr-3mol%Sn was selected and less than 0.5wt% of N were systematically added. The alloys were characterized by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and tensile tests at room temperature. The apparent phase was β (bcc) phase, whereas the presence of precipitates was confirmed in 0.5wt%N-added alloy only which did not exhibit sufficient cold workability. The grain size was not largely affected by N addition being less than 0.5wt%. Tensile tests revealed that less than 0.5wt%N addition improves the strength which is due to the solution hardening by interstitial N atoms.

Abstract: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) due to their unique ability to produce very large output strains and rapid response frequency. NiMnCoIn is a new-type MSMAs in which a reversible magnetic-field-induced phase transformation is observed. The microstructural evolution in the process of dynamic recrystallization in polycrystalline Ni45Co5Mn36.7In13.3 was studied in the present paper. The experimental results showed that the high deformation temperature and slow strain rate were necessary to achieve perfect dynamic-recrystallizing microstructure in Ni45Co5Mn36.7In13.3 alloy. Precipitates with two sizes were observed. The content of Co in precipitates was higher than that in the matrix alloy, while the content of In was lower than that in the matrix alloy.